Mobile device notification with options

• US 7,657,250 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clayton, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/850,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 455/407, 455/404.1, 455/405, 455/406, 455/412.2, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Notifying users of mobile communication devices, which may include providing options for response to notifications. A component of a communication service provider system receives an indication of a notification for a user of a mobile communication device. The notification may be received from a source internal or external to the communication service provider system. A component of the mobile communication service provider formats the notification so that it is compatible with the mobile communication device of the user and sends the notification to the mobile communication device of the user. The notification may include one or more options to respond to the notification using the mobile communication device. The notification may, for example, pertain to minutes-of-use in a mobile communication service plan, or to other information, including notifications from outside service providers such as airlines, banks, restaurants, hotels, libraries, credit card companies, etc.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system, a method of notifying a user of usage of units of a service plan having a predetermined number of allocated units of use associated with a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving on a network device a request from the mobile device to establish a communication between the mobile device and a remote device;

establishing the communication between the mobile device and the remote device;

determining on the network device that a predetermined threshold of units of use associated with the mobile device has been exceeded, wherein the predetermined threshold is based, at least in part, on the predetermined number of allocated units of use;

determining on the network device that the communication between the mobile device and the remote device is ongoing;

receiving on the network device an indication that the communication between the mobile device and the remote device has been completed; and

responsive to receiving the indication that the communication has been completed, sending a notification to the mobile device, the notification comprising an indication that the predetermined threshold has been exceeded and presenting options to respond to the notification using the mobile device, wherein one of the options automatically subscribes the user to a new communication service plan having an increased number of allocated units of use.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a text message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the text message is sent using short message service (SMS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is an electronic mail.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a telephone call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is sent based on a preference of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is sent based on a configuration of someone other than the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification formatting is based, at least in part, on preferences of the user.

9. In a wireless communication system, a method of notifying a user of usage of units of a communication service plan having a predetermined number of allocated units of use, the method comprising:

receiving a request at a wireless communication system device to place a call originating from a mobile device associated with the user;

based on the received request, determining that a predetermined threshold of units of use has been exceeded as a result of a previous call made by the user;

upon determining that the predetermined threshold of units of use has been exceeded, sending a first notification to the mobile device indicating that the predetermined threshold of units of use has been exceeded;

receiving a response to the first notification from the mobile device, wherein the response comprises a request to send a second notification after the call is terminated;

receiving an indication at a wireless communication system device that the call has been terminated; and

sending the second notification to the mobile device indicating that the predetermined threshold of units of use has been exceeded.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first notification and the second notification comprises an option to respond to one of the first notification and the second notification using the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first notification and the second notification comprises options to respond to one of the first notification and the second notification using the mobile device, and wherein one of the included options allows the user to automatically subscribe to a new communication service plan having an increased number of allocated units.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first notification and the second notification is a text message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the text message is sent using short message service (SMS).

14. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first notification and the second notification is an electronic mail.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the first notification and the second notification is a telephone call.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first notification is sent based on a preference of the user.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the first notification is sent based on a configuration of someone other than the user.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the first notification and the second notification formatting is based, at least in part, on preferences of the user.